Shatter Shatter Shatter Like So Much Glass
by TheHatterMaddox
Summary: Yoruichi schemes, Ichigo gets locked out of his house, Kisuke confesses, Isshin is kidnapped and unexpected people "come to his rescue". There will be a game of rock-paper-scissors, strip poker, pillow fights, break-downs and a lot of innuendos.
1. In Which Ichigo is Confused

First, I don't own Bleach or any of the wonderfully three-dimensional characters therewithin. Secondly thanks to RaddxRika for introducing me to this yummy pairing. Third, thanks to Fuzzibunniez for the better part of my inspiration for this piece- your Urahara is Seventeen Yaoi edit is a truly monumental addition to yaoi masterpieces. I salute you! With that out of the way, I hope you all have fun reading this because I had enormous fun writing it and letting Kisuke rent out a room in my mental apartment complex while I did it- this story came as much from him as me.

Kisuke: (waves, smiling cheekily)

Hatter: Your rent is due, you miscreant!

K: Ichi~gooo Hatty's being mean to meee!

Ichigo: PAY THE DAMN RENT!!

K: But-

I: Do it.

K: BU-UUT!!!

I: I won't talk to you. Or stay with you. I'll be in my room. (Slams door, lock clicks)

K: Fine (mutters angrily, glaring out from under hat)

H: Ha. So there. Pay up.

K: The usual payment then? (Straightens yukata, looking resigned)

H: (nods) the usual. And Kisuke?

K: Hmm?

H: I love you (smiles sweetly)

K: Yeah. (Hands over sealed envelope and waves. Knocks on Ichigo's door) Right.

I: Hatter! Did he pay?

H: Yup!

(Ichigo opens the door, letting Kisuke in. Both wave, then shut and lock door.)

**Shatter Shatter Shatter Like So Much Glass**

A Gwennan Moore Production

Beta-Read by RaddXRika

One

"I love you"

Same hat, green and white striped. Same kimono haphazardly tied _far _too loosely. Same sandal-clad feet, set in the balanced stance of someone who had seen too much fighting. Same man, but somehow he seemed totally unreal.

He was just standing, arms at his sides, not even moving. It felt as if he should have been doing more, should have _needed _to do more, to make him feel this way.

Ichigo would have thought he was joking, if not for the look in his deep blue eyes. When Urahara was joking, his eyes were hidden in the shadow of that infuriating hat. Now, they were clearly visible; pure sapphire and aquamarine that seemed to hold more dark secrets than any man had the right to. Perhaps more than any man should be asked to bear, but Ichigo had the feeling that Urahara did indeed bear them when his eyes had that look. It was a look, that on Urahara Kisuke meant that he was so, _so_ deathly serious. It was the look he wore when he apologized that first time for using Ichigo. It was the look he had when he was training seriously and when lives where in his hands, their weight on his shoulders, but different. This look; it made Ichigo wonder if _his _life was at stake.

He _had _to be joking. _Don't tell him. Don't tell him anything. Don't tell him that you're not actually straight, not actually in love with Rukia or even Orohime._ _Don't tell him. Don't tell-_

"That's all" He said softly, his voice low and heavy with emotion. _Don't tell! _Ichigo's mind screamed. _Don't tell! _Unfortunately, the agony, the loss in those two words and his unspeakably blue eyes called much, much louder.

Before he knew what he was doing, Ichigo lunged, unthinking, grabbed a fistful of sleeve and slammed his lips to the other man's, pulling him closer by his yukata and savoring the confused shock on his naturally mysterious features. There was an awkward moment where their faces were pushed together like two people who run into each other face first and Urahara was trying in vain to speak, and then they suddenly lined up and pressed their lips together with a strength that would have bruised human lips. It was a first kiss beyond words, so blisteringly hot and powerful that it filled their senses to the brim.

"Ichi-" Urahara pulled away first with a gasp, cheeks flushed, eyes so confused and bewildered, flickering back and forth across Ichigo's face in search of an answer, _any _answer.

"I love you" The words came out rushed, jumbled together as if they were pouring from the flushed teen's lips "Really. I don't know if you're joking, or screwing with me, or- or- or- I don't know. But love you, and I have since I don't even know when, but I do! Love you, I mean. You don't have to believe me or-"

And then Urahara leaned in close and let his lips rest against Ichigo's cheek for a moment, instantly silencing him.

"Shhhh" he whispered, then walked away.

"Y-wha-Hey!" Ichigo shouted, ready to punch the older man "Where the hell are _you _going?!"

"To go let in Renji before he breaks down the door" Urahara told him calmly "Didn't you feel his reiatsu?" and then, he was gone, leaving a blushing Ichigo to gape in his wake.

---o-----o---

Kisuke

So close. _Too _close, Kisuke, he berated himself. But he couldn't help feeling giddy almost with the relief- Kurosaki hadn't rejected him, hadn't been disgusted or laughed at him. No, Kurosaki had _kissed _him. Urahara's heart was still pounding, and remembering the strength of that kiss, the heat of the younger man's body against his, and the flare of his limitless reiatsu, so strong it had completely flooded his senses, almost drowning out the speck that was Renji's reiatsu in comparison, certainly didn't help. It didn't help stop his heart almost thudding out of his chest, didn't help the fire flooding him down to the last nerve, didn't help stop him from feeling lighter than air and _so damned giddy_. In the end, he did owe Yoruichi- she had told him to confess enough times, and God had it payed off. That, was a thought for another time- he did _not _need Renji questioning his abnormally high color- or his companion for that matter. _Definitely _not the companion- and so he shoved it aside and pulled the door open, stepping aside just in time to avoid crashing into Renji, who had been about to use his shoulder as a battering ram. Instead, the hot-tempered vice-captain tripped on the step up into the shop and sprawled across the floor, his face buried in the welcome mat. Urahara snapped out his fan and held it in front of his face so that he could look down it at Renji, whom he was poking in the head with one clogged foot.

"In a hurry Abarai-kun?" He asked with a cheeky smile, feigning concerned interest. An unamused Renji growled as he propped himself up on one elbow to glare up at Urahara through the loose strands of his disheveled red hair.

"Get up Vice-Captain. And stop glaring. It is unseemly." Byakuya told him, silken voice unhurried and unruffled as he looked condescendingly down his nose at his Vice-Captain. Renji muttered a few incoherent phrases, then what might have been a very speedy "Yessir" as he rose, haughtily brushing imaginary dust from his black kimono and stood behind his Captain, as "seemly" as a possible.

"Kuchiki-kun!" Urahara cried, in delight that was all too believable- he almost believed himself "It's good to see you! Now what can I do for you? Unless you just came for a social visit?"

"We did not" Byakuya told him, straightening his shoulders slightly as if to say that the mere idea of him visiting _them _was too ridiculous to be considered. "We came in order to request on behalf of the Gotei Thirteen and the Council that Urahara Kisuke, Shihoin Yoruichi, Kurosaki Ichigo, Yasutora Sado, and Ishida Uryu report to Soul Society immediately. Accommodations and provisions for this stay are to be provided by the Gotei Thirteen upon your arrival. I was asked to inform you that your assistance is required and that we anticipate your cooperation. I will return with your escorts in one week. You have that time to prepare and finish any business here." He explained, looking almost pained by having to ask for the help of these hodge-podge humans, not to mention Urahara.

"Now that's interesting" Urahara mused, eyes sharply calculating over the top of his fan "and whatever would the great Gotei Thirteen need _us _for?" He asked coyly, examining Byakuya from beneath the brim of his hat.

"That is not information that I have been entrusted with" Byakuya informed him stiffly, eyes narrowed slightly.

"Did you hear that Kurosaki-kun?" He sang, hoping that Ichigo had been too shocked to leave and too interested to wander away. "Soul Society needs our he~elp!"

"So it seems" He arched one brow at Byakuya, very carefully _not _looking at Urahara as he rounded the corner and moved to stand beside him, close enough to feel his body heat and every small movement of his clothes. "The only question is, should we come along like a bunch of obedient kids?" He crossed his arms in a challenge.

Less affronted by a challenge than a suggestion of weakness, Byakuya faced him down, effortlessly deflecting his fierce gaze like fire off cold stone.

"The Council was afraid you would take that stance" Byakuya said flatly, as if to say that it all had nothing to do with him either way. "They said that if you miss-like Aizen you will come. They said that if you value the life of one Kurosaki Isshin, you will come"

Ichigo paled and Urahara blinked, surprise crossing his unfathomable eyes. A friend like Orohime would not have surprised him- but Isshin? Ichigo's father and a former shinigami, he made an odd target for a hostage situation, if effective- Ichigo's fingers trembled, he was gripping his arms so tight his knuckles had gone as white as his face. They were going, no questions asked.

"We'll be here" Ichigo told him quietly, shooting a glare first at Renji who shrank away, then Byakuya who merely blinked. It was so potent a glare Urahara got a chill just from his sidelong glance.

His expression was so hateful that for a moment he forgot entirely to scrunch his eyebrows. Even with that burning anger, Kisuke got an intensely hot thrill from that expression- if he made Ichigo lustful enough, would his face do that? What kinds of faces could he coax from the younger man? It was something to ponder (happily) later- letting his imagination run wild now was not an option. _Now _he needed to get rid of Byakuya and reassure Ichigo- _his _Ichigo. He would _really _have to thank Yoruichi for later- things were going much better than he could have hoped for.

"As Kurosaki-kun said, we'll all be here, one week from now." He informed the captain before going on to elaborate. "Which means you messenger-boys are free to get up to as _much trouble as you'd like_" He wagged his brows, his face making all the necessary suggestions on what "trouble" two unoccupied, un-spoken-for men could get up to alone. The undercurrent was not lost on either of them, though it took a moment for the meaning to register on their initially slack-jawed features.

Byakuya's eye twitched; Renji flexed one bare, muscular arm threateningly. Ichigo struggled to repress a grin of massive proportions.

"They will come" Byakuya said stiffly, hiding fury behind a mask of formality. "For the sake of Isshin Kurosaki I hope that all of the requested people are here" He finished threateningly. Renji saluted Ichigo, who glowered, then they were gone. Urahara shut and locked the door- he had more pressing business than his actual business to take care of just then.

"They took my _dad"_He said quietly, his barely audible whisper huge in the silence. He began to pace tensely, walking slowly at first but getting faster with each circuit of the small room.

"I know"

"They could do anything to him if I can't help them" His muscles rippled under his clothes, his voice rose. And there it was again- "I". If "I" can't help them. It was one of the things Urahara most admired and most hated about Ichigo- he always took the burden alone, never willing to share the weight or responsibility. Between Rukia and the others they had begun to train him out of it, but in situations like this, no matter who was implicated, Ichigo immediately took the responsibility onto himself.

"If _we _can't help them, they won't hurt him" Urahara kept the fan covering his uncharacteristically tensed face, leaning against the front counter with a feigned stance of relaxation. Despite his casual appearance his limbs were carefully placed to mimic nonchalance, his muscles taught beneath their languid positions. Mentally, he urged Ichigo to share the burden with him, to realize that he need never shoulder anything alone again. Some battles, a man must always face alone, but in preparation and spirit Kisuke would be with him even then. He would _never _leave the younger man to face danger alone- now if only Ichigo would come to that same realization. Kisuke feared he would be forced to spell it out, something he truly did not anticipate- it was a sentiment that lost something in being spoken out loud.

"You don't know that!" Ichigo whirled to face him, eyes burning into Kisuke's from across the room. His panicked eyes searched intense dark ones desperately. Against his will his heart slowed, his muscles slowly relaxing- something about those unwavering dark eyes, steadier than stone and deeper than the sea was enough to let him breathe again past the terror and panic threatening to over-throw his mind.

"No," Kisuke admitted slowly, rolling the syllable around his mouth as if he was tasting it and finding the flavor unsatisfactory. "But I know where every holding cell from the east gate to the west gate is and I know how to completely destroy the defenses on every last one. If that's what it takes, I will decimate every jail or dungeon in all of Seireitei."

Ichigo blinked rapidly, startled by the dark intensity in the older shinigami's voice, lower and more threatening than he had ever heard it and matched only by his shadowed, dark eyes. He moved forward reaching out in an instinctual attempt to show feelings he didn't fully understand yet. He stopped short, dropping his arms limply to his sides.

"Thank you" His voice was soft, tight, as if his vocal chords were strung far more taughtly than he was accustomed to. His eyes were smoldering softly despite his seeming relaxation.

Urahara shrugged casually.

"Anything for love" He smiled a wry, crooked smile, holding Ichigo's eyes locked in that one sidelong glance. Ichigo froze stiffly mid-step, jaw clenched and working silently for a moment. Then he went beet red from the roots of his hair down.

"Aa-aawww!" Urahara grinned as he sauntered up "You're _blushing_! How _cute_!" he leaned in and brushed a painfully slow kiss across one of Ichigo's high, prominent cheekbones, lingering long enough to wink coyly and pressing his body just a _little _closer than was strictly necessary in an "innocent" peck on the cheek.

Then, by sheer force of will, he managed to rein himself in and pull back. Then he was gone, leaving a very confused Ichigo to his thoughts.

***

Ichigo

_Urahara Kisuke is a patient man. Urahara Kisuke is known to be cunning and sly. Urahara Kisuke always did what was best for everyone. _Then why the hell is it so hard for me to stay away from one teen-aged boy?! I asked myself crossly.

I grabbed a feather buster and started moodily rearranging the dust bunnies in a little used store room. Because he's remarkably sexy, my mind informed my tartly, sinuously. Because he's one of the bravest people I've ever met. Because he's completely self-sacrificing. _Because he forgives me. _Because he _didn't reject me.__** Because I love him**_.

I poked irritably at a mound of dust residing atop a box, procuring a thick cloud of particles and a slight nudge of spiritual energy, thoroughly unsatisfied by the many answers to my idiotically rhetorical question. My attention gratefully diverted, I used my sleeve to clear the dust from a metal safe previously buried in piles that could have been mistaken for miniature snow drifts. I would need to wash my yukata, possibly twice, but it was worth the discovery the spiritually-warded reinforced steel box which I well remembered- before its contents had been banned they had been priceless, not only in cash value (significant) , but also in entertainment value. Sadly, shinigami were now banned from possessing them. I had also been issued a "friendly request" at the sword-point of three captains to never sell them again. Which is where the triple-warded safe came in. On the up side, they had never "requested" that I didn't _use _them again. I still remembered the combination.

I was sorely tempted, but decided to wait- no need for sex toys if we weren't having sex, and besides once it was open I knew I couldn't resist. So I fluffed up some more dust and wandered to another room where inventory needed to be taken. I didn't really mind but it was pretty boring mindless stuff, and I could have had Tessai do it, or even asked Jinta or Ururu, but _that _wouldn't keep me away from Kurosaki.

And I needed very badly to be kept away from him just now. It only made sense- I had spent years training him, watching him and hiding my affections and myself for that matter in the shadows of his life, coming out only when I was needed. Thanks to Yoruichi's best efforts (truly valiant and dogged, I had to admit) I had confessed. Thanks to a small (mostly) miracle he returned me feelings. Of course he was all I could think of; of course I wanted him with a renewed, all-consuming passion. Knowing that, however, didn't change the restless, incomplete feeling of being away from him, didn't change the painful, almost magnetic pull I felt, urging me to go to him. My stomach painfully knotted and unknotted constantly at the mere thought of being away from him, the sensation, the reality, was much more intense. I could sense his reiatsu, flickering , flaring then dying down completely in concert with his emotions in a display of his usual lack of self-control and I had to hold myself down not to run to him. He wasn't even aware he was doing it, or the effect it had on me. Even as I thoughtlessly took inventory, all I could see, all I could feel was Ichigo.

His fiery lips on mine, his fist clenched in my sleeve, that silken hair on my forehead and every individual point where our bodies touched catching fire instantly. I could feel his sharp, hard cheekbones beneath his silky skin on my lips, could sense the tensing of his muscles. I could feel the roar of his reiatsu, easily the largest I had encountered in my vast experience, humming and buzzing and echoing in my nerves and bones and sinuses.

If I could stay away from him long enough I would regain at least some semblance of self-control- it was the same as when I first realized I had fallen in love with him: there were stages. I was in Stage One, the stage of uncontrollable emotions where I avoided Ichigo persistently for anywhere between a few days and a month while I tried to get my shit together and get a grip on my raging desires. Next was Stage Two- I was love-sick and flirtatious like a twelve-year-old girl. After that it remained to be seen- previously I had plummeted into unyielding depression and was plagued by constant heart-ache. Considering that I was no longer facing down a solid belief that I would surely be rejected, that seemed a bit far-fetched. It was a solid cycle that had never failed me- I encountered the exact same thing with each of my childhood crushes though this hardly compared. Ichigo was different. As a boisterous and womanizing three-year-old I had feared revealing to the beautiful young Akira that she was the object of my fleeting affections by way of sheer obviousness (the blushes and stuttering typical of children at that age), and the many shames that went with that revelation. If I got too close to Ichigo now, he might well find out something much more serious about my feelings for him. _Not _a rise I wanted to run- I didn't want to rush things. Despite my body's intense urges, my mind and heart where in whole-hearted (no pun intended) concert and agreement on this- we needed to take our time.

So I spent the rest of the day moving restlessly from musty closet to closet, taking inventory, relocating dust bunnies and tuning wistfully in to Ichigo's reiatsu. I went all that time without thinking of anything but him and his hot, hot kisses.

***

Ta Da! I did it! I typed up my ages-old Kisuke/Ichigo story!! It's not actually ages old, but I started writing it toward the beginning of the school year, and I only now typed up this much, so I'm impressed with myself. Also, while my buddy Rad Rika did give this story a very lovely seal of approval and point out some stupidity, it had not been proof-read, so point out idiocy all you want, but don't be mean. On another subject entirely, the prequel chapter to this will eventually be posted, but since I started writing here, I decided to start posting here. Review if you want more, and come back for updates- if I get good reviews they'll be coming right away.

The Hatter Maddox


	2. In which Kisuke is nowhere to be found

Hey people, chapter two here! I know it's short, but I'm just not that great at being Ichigo! I tried my hardest, so please read and tell me what I can do better. I'll be back soon-ish with more from Kisuke, but I may not be able to post this week, so please be patient. Also, if you are waiting for plot and other pairings, they will be appearing soon as well. Chad, Uryu, Yoruichi, Renji, Byakuya and Ukitake among others will come in and possibly be paired, so look forward to their arrival. Also, what is going on with Isshin? We will find out in one week's time! (for them, not us).

Thanks for reading, The Hatter Maddox

**Chapter Two:**

Ichigo

Kisuke Urahara: friend, mentor, serious pervert and probably the sexiest man alive. I don't know how long I've loved him, just that I didn't really realize it until Yoruichi pointed it out to me with some unwitting joke about what our relationship must be, since we spent so much time together sometime the summer before last. Being completely drunk at the time, I admitted to it readily. Luckily Yoruichi was so drunk she didn't seem to remember a thing. A year and a half later, I found myself stuck at his shop while my dad and sisters went on vacation, and got myself confessed to.

I never, _ever _expected it to turn out like this when I came here for help treating my broken foot (I kicked the door a _little _too hard while trying to break it down). He confessed, I kissed him, he kissed me, then he disappeared. What the hell did that make us now? What did I _want _it to make us? And what did _he _want it to make us? And most importantly of all, why had he disappeared on me, leaving me to face all these crazy thoughts and feelings alone? The only reasonable answer was that it was a practical joke after all, but just the thought made my stomach churn, so I abandoned the idea immediately.

I served a few customers who wanted easily identifiable merchandise, or had clearly labeled packages waiting for them behind the counter and in the nearest store room. I told the ones with complicate orders that they needed to come back when Urahara was around, telling off the more persistent ones (a great way to vent my frustrations). I spent a long time wondering why Tessai wasn't there to take care of everything, got mad, punched up a practice dummy made by the brand Rukia so loved, then thought about Urahara and his kiss again. He had called me cute, which I did _not _like. I was in love with a man, but that didn't make me a fucking _girl._ Though it did mean he thought I was attractive. It was still _way _too feminine.

Once we had dealt with the night's outbreak of Hollows we had all gathered at Orihime's house, where Orohime said there was enough food for all of us to have breakfast. The toxic waste was a different color on each person's plate. Mine was mostly orange and green, but I was able to eat the accompanying piece of toast and picked out two slices of bacon before going home to discover I was locked out, but had never eaten any lunch. The sun was already half-way down the horizon and I was starving. My stomach gurgled loudly in complaint, so I locked up the shop, scrawled a quick note about the shop, and went off in search of Urahara. I wasn't able to find him anywhere in the maze of paper-screened hallways and storage closets, so I retreated to the basement-cavern-cave-thing. There, to my surprise, I found Ururu being bullied tearfully into more than her fair share of chores by Jinta. I had been wary of her since seeing her attack, but I still felt a pinch of sympathy- just not enough to interfere on her behalf.

Tessai was nowhere to be seen, and a cocky Jinta told me he was taking a vacation to the beach. I felt sorry for the beach goers- especially any that happened to splash him or get sand on his towel. Ururu also produced a sandwich for me, from where I couldn't say. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that it was a slightly squished turkey and cheese sandwich with some slightly wilted lettuce.

"Owner-taichou will find more for you later" She promised as I decided that the sandwich was safe enough to eat, and took a huge bite. My mouth was too full for me to reply right away, and by the time I had freed it she was half-way up the ladder, hot on the heels of Jinta (already gone) so I just gaped. She slammed the door shut after herself so I just finished the sandwich, wondering how I was supposed to get food out of Urahara if he was avoiding my like the damned plague.

My bandaged foot had begun to ache again so I stripped down to my white and blue striped boxers and got into the pool Urahara had created and filled with healing water imported illegally from the hot springs in Soul Society. I sank gratefully into the hot water, feeling the cloud of steam swirl around me. My eyes drifted closed and I could instantly feel the healing energy sinking into my skin; easing then erasing the pain in my foot as well as a bruise on my neck and some stiffness in my back.

My mind wandered, quickly settling on Urahara's last kiss on my cheek. He had stood just inches from my body (if that), and pressed his lips to my cheek. His lips were rough and chapped but amazingly gentle and I could feel the fine stubble on his chin brushing my jaw. He had pressed his body closer then, making time stop, and leaned so close I could feel his heart beat, winked, and pulled away, almost reluctantly and I still wasn't sure what he meant by it.

I know that men can, well, you know, have at. I've seen them getting "friendly" before, but I didn't know exactly how it was supposed to work. For the most part, I didn't want to know. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about the subject. It was fine for other people (that's their choice) but I'd tried not to think about it in terms of myself. Yes, Urahara was very, very sexy. Yes, I was attracted to him, but did I want him like _that_, right now? If at all? I had been pretty sure I didn't, at least not any time soon, but after finally kissing him, I wasn't so sure anymore. I didn't even know if we were together or not. All I did know was that there was no way in hell I'd let him treat me like a girl. I've seen girls calling their boyfriends cute, so I guess that's okay and he's just being affectionate or whatever. Or joking- it fits his awkward sense of humor perfectly. Still, he could at least _try_. When I found him we'd have a nice long talk (possibly with my fists), then we had to get everyone together. Everything else could wait until after them.

Urahara said he wouldn't let them hurt Dad, and he would never even think of backing down from his word. Honestly, I would rather if he didn't get in any more trouble with Soul Society, but remembering the intense, serious look on his face was reassuring. If I wasn't good enough, if I failed, at least Dad would be okay and I wouldn't take him away from Yuzu and Karin. I already took Mom away from them, I don't know what they'd do without Dad. Yuzu would definitely cry, and even Karin might- that's worse than anything. I hate it when Karin cries, especially when it's my fault. So we'd save Dad, and that's that. Having decided on a plan of action I settled down to wait, relaxing in the comfort of the water.

Sometimes, I wonder how differently things might have gone if I didn't fall asleep.


End file.
